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For many years, one of
the best places to get user-grade handtools was from “The Porch,” the
oldtools e-mail-based listserv (you can join here). The tools were generally sold by users and to users. The prices were friendly. The descriptions were honest.
One of my favorite sellers on oldtools was Josh Clark, who runs the Hyperkitten.com
web site. Since 1999, Hyperkitten has been a great place to learn about
Harvey Peace saws (Josh has a saw problem), plus other fun and
uber-geeky hand-tool stuff. (Router plane type studies? Check. Bench
plane dating chart? Check. Resawing with a framesaw? Check.)
Now
Josh is putting up the tools he sells on Hyperkitten.com. The prices are
fanastic. Josh always finds quality stuff – I know because I have a
fair amount of it in my tool chest.
So if you are in a tool-deprived area of our nation, or if your tool budget stinks, haunt Hyperkitten. Put Josh’s blog
on your RSS feed – he announces additions to his tool sale page on his
blog. And rest assured you are dealing with one of us – Josh is a woodworker and an honest tool seller.
Here’s a link to his “Tools for Sale” page.
— Christopher Schwarz
Other Good Tool Resources
• Patrick Leach, tool pusher extraordinnaire. Sign up for his e-mail list. Get a second job.
• Walt Quadrato at Brass City Records and Tools. Walt focuses on user stuff made in New England. And he finds some crazy good caches of tools.
• Jim Bode Tools. Bode focuses on the pretty and the pretty rare stuff. He posts new tools on his site every day.
• And my book “Handplane Essentials” isn’t too shabby, either. Printed in the United States, it’s 312 pages of plane geekiness.
Here are some supplies and tools we find essential in our everyday work around the shop. We may receive a commission from sales referred by our links; however, we have carefully selected these products for their usefulness and quality.
One of the other tool dealers mentioned, Walt Quadrato at Brass City Records and Tools, is a great place to find vintage tools. I happen to live about 5 miles from his place of business. How lucky! He knows his stuff and loves to talk about old tools. I learn something every time I go in there. He tools are not overpriced and you get exactly what he tells you.
Chris
It’s nice to see Josh getting some recognition…he is indeed the absolute tops.
I first met him at Bill Spicer’s Tool Auction and Josh has since been a mentor, fellow saw geek, and all around great guy.
You couldn’t ask for a more knowledgable or friendlier businessman as well….his site is a favorite of mine!
Chris,
I’m certain that it was just an oversite and I’m sure that you’ll agree that Sandy Moss should also be mentioned with these other fine gentlemen. Not only does he sell great tools, which he does, but if you want to know anything about braces, his site is a must see. http://www.sydnassloot.com
Michael
I think a lot of oldtoolers leave pictures up because we love pictures of our tools, and this is a hobby (not a lot of time to maintain the site, but at least you know it isn’t available).
As one of the oldtools listmoms we appreciate the recommendation but strongly encourage reading the fascinating FAQ at http://swingleydev.com/archive/faq.html _BEFORE_ subscribing!
Esther
I think his web site is nice and it looks like he has some nice stuff. Maybe someone can explain the logic as to why some sites, this included, list the photos of the tools only to have them listed as sold. Just sayin’
Joshua Clark is one helluva bright, energetic guy who is at once a scholar and purveyor of fine old tools. I cannot recommend his services enough. If you want it, Josh will either have it or scrounge it up. What an asset to the old tools community!
Ok, I admit it, after reading this I went to the site and was tempted. But I finished my morning coffee and was able to walk away from the computer.
Just checked this afternoon though, and the "Schwarz Effect" has migrated over from Ebay I think. 😉